Cricket X

[Stubby]

Amir is useful with the bat. He is showing all the signs of being a stalwart player for Pakistan for a long time to come. The thing I like about him is a bit of fire in the belly.

Overall, I think this win was more significant than we think. ATM, they can't play cricket in their own country, their country has been devastated by the flooding (and no doubt it has affected at least some of the players fairly directly)and they are still fractured at management level. For the players to put all of that out of their heads and concentrate on playing spirited, competitive cricket is remarkable.

[Jeor]

I think Ajmal is now definitely ahead of Kaneria in the spinning pecking order. In the last two Tests he has bowled particularly well and I think (added to his belligerent half century in the Second Test) he brings more to the table than Kaneria. At the start of the series I was backing the leggie but Ajmal has definitely zoomed ahead of him by now.

England have a great batting lineup on paper (Prior at 7, Swann at 8, Broad at 9 shows remarkable depth) but in practice they've now had three major collapses in three Tests (cricinfo points out 6/17, 7/46 and 7 down in this match for something cheaply). The bowling conditions and the Pakistani attack certainly haven't helped them but the batting lineup is really underperforming. Mind you they won't have to worry as much in Australia where the pitches are much more batting friendly and the Aussie attack won't be as incisive as the Pakistanis.

[Paxter]

I think Ajmal is now definitely ahead of Kaneria in the spinning pecking order. In the last two Tests he has bowled particularly well and I think (added to his belligerent half century in the Second Test) he brings more to the table than Kaneria. At the start of the series I was backing the leggie but Ajmal has definitely zoomed ahead of him by now.

Yeah, the selectors definitely made the right decision with Ajmal. Kaneria will probably get another shot at test cricket when he is in his early 30s (or if cricket ever returns to Pakistan where they can play two spinners), but for now Ajmal deserves his spot in the team. I just hope he doesn't get into more trouble over his bowling action - I don't have any problem with it personally, but he has been pulled up by the ICC in the recent past.

[Paxter]

Not much play today, but we still managed to witness two of the more common recurring events of this series: Strauss falling cheaply and Pakistan dropping easy chances.

[Hereward]

Oh bugger. Three wickets down for no runs in 15 minutes. How is it possible that we're going to end up drawing this series? Didn't the last couple of Tests of the summer used to be hot, dry and dusty, batsman friendly occasions? Bloody climate change.

[ljkeane]

Four wickets for no runs between the four of them this morning now. :bang:

There's been some good bowling but there's no way that's acceptable. I didn't think that this series would be easy for the batsmen given conditions and the quality of the Pakistani bowling but this is dire, it's not very encouraging going into the Ashes with only Prior and Trott in any sort of form. Bell's looking better and better the more he doesn't play.

[Paxter]

All's not lost for England. Aamer has bowled superbly, but the hosts are well and truly back in the game courtesy of Trott, Prior and Broad.

[ljkeane]

Broad's got his 50 and I'd say he's arguably been England's best batsman in the series after Trott and Prior now. I think there's probably an argument for swapping him and Swann around now he's found some form with the bat.

[Daeric]

Epic fight back is epic, that is all.

[williamjm]

Broad's got his 50 and I'd say he's arguably been England's best batsman in the series after Trott and Prior now. I think there's probably an argument for swapping him and Swann around now he's found some form with the bat.

I think you might have a point there, and if he continues to bat like that then he should definitely be above Swann. I think they probably have similar averages at the moment but Broad does have far superior technique and certainly has the potential ability to bat at 7 some day, although I think it would be premature to bat him higher than 8 against serious opposition.

I did like his reaction in the interview after being asked about his next target after scoring his first Test century, saying that he'd have to look up his Dad's best Test score so he could try to beat that (Chris Broad's best was 161, apparently, so he might achieve it).

[sckma]

....... just wow. Great bowling from Aamer, then that came along. Broad and Trott. Hopefully pakistan bat well and we have a cracking game.

[Slick Mongoose]

That's one crazy scorecard.

[Jeor]

That's one crazy scorecard.

Crazy scorecard alright! Not only is it a record 8th wicket partnership, it's a record partnership for England against Pakistan for any wicket. Trott has always looked calm at the crease and in good form so the big century from him wasn't too much of a surprise, but it was definitely unexpected from Broad.

A pity, it looks like Pakistan are folding again (3/14). Yousuf out for a duck, so I think the lineup is going to go back to its usual ways. They're 430 behind, I will be pleasantly surprised if they somehow manage to avoid the follow on. I'm sure England will enforce it, with this already being the third day and Pakistan's batting still fragile.

[Slick Mongoose]

74 all out. :worried:

[williamjm]

74 all out. :worried:

Pakistan's on-field problems now seem to be relatively minor, since Amir and Asif are now suspected of deliberately bowling no-balls at specified times in England's first innings after accepting money from a middle-man who believed he was talking to an illegal bookmaker (but was actually working for the News of the World). Just when you thought Pakistan cricket couldn't get any more dysfunctional this comes along

[Ser_not_appearing_yet]

Very dark day for cricket.

I am fucking pissed.

[Jeor]

Very dark day for cricket.

I am fucking pissed.

This is awful. When you consider the people who are involved are Amir and Asif, this could really destroy the side. That Salman Butt and Kamran Akmal have allegedly also been involved is not a good sign either. But when you consider that the lethal opening bowling combination was the only thing really going for Pakistan, I guess they were always going to be the most vulnerable. It's not like the batting needs any extra incentive to fail (and in fact, that would have been the first suspicion, three scores under 100 in this series is woeful).

I really hope the allegations are proved to be false and that this is just some sensationalised article based on guesswork and rumour.

[williamjm]

This is awful. When you consider the people who are involved are Amir and Asif, this could really destroy the side. That Salman Butt and Kamran Akmal have allegedly also been involved is not a good sign either. But when you consider that the lethal opening bowling combination was the only thing really going for Pakistan, I guess they were always going to be the most vulnerable. It's not like the batting needs any extra incentive to fail (and in fact, that would have been the first suspicion, three scores under 100 in this series is woeful).

I really hope the allegations are proved to be false and that this is just some sensationalised article based on guesswork and rumour.

It would be nice if it was, but the police have arrested the intermediary which suggests they are taking it seriously. Cricinfo are also reporting that £25000 was found in the room of a (unnamed) Pakistan player, if true then that's difficult to explain. The BBC News was also showing the footage earlier of the no-balls being bowled when predicted, and they were very blatant no-balls.

I can't say Asif really has the best track record for honesty, having twice tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. As for Amir, £25000 might seem to be a huge amount of money for an 18-year old from a poor background to be offered to do something that might not seem to him to be particularly serious.

[ljkeane]

This would be an absolute disaster if it turns out to be true. Asif and Amir are the Pakistan team for all intents and purposes at the moment, given the lack of cricket played at home currently I can't see how it could get any worse for Pakistan if it is true. :frown5:

On the plus side there must have been well more than three no balls so maybe they aren't involved?

[Jeor]

This would be an absolute disaster if it turns out to be true. Asif and Amir are the Pakistan team for all intents and purposes at the moment, given the lack of cricket played at home currently I can't see how it could get any worse for Pakistan if it is true. :frown5:

On the plus side there must have been well more than three no balls so maybe they aren't involved?

Asif does have a chequered career so this does not look good. Cricinfo ran an article only a few days ago showing how although Dale Steyn was the clear number 1 fast bowler in the world, Asif was the clear number 2, and then the rest of the pack were a distance behind. It will be a great shame if his career is curtailed by this.

Moreso though for Amir. He's a very young guy and extremely vulnerable to things like this. If Butt and Akmal were involved then they really must take the blame for allowing the best young fast bowler in Test cricket to get mixed up in this.